Staff in the law firm’s Belfast office will pick out individual presents for 40 children participating in the charity’s Step Up Step Down service, where foster carers support families on the periphery of care to help the children remain within their family home.

Colm McElroy, finance partner and chair of Arthur Cox’s CSR committee, said: “With this being our second year volunteering with The Fostering Network, we are very much aware of the importance of ensuring every child in their Step Up Step Down initiative receives a gift at Christmas.

“Having been faced with an extremely turbulent year, the need for these special presents has never been greater, and we are proud to play our part in ensuring this is possible.

“We have been able to collect a variety of gifts for children of all ages and are pleased that we’ve had the opportunity to provide something tangible and develop a small connection with each of the children, at a time when many are still feeling socially disconnected.

“This experience has been truly rewarding for everyone at Arthur Cox, and we take pride in playing an important role in supporting this charity as we continue to deliver impact across our community.”

Kathleen Toner, director of The Fostering Network Northern Ireland, said: “Christmas is a special time of year when we look forward to decorating the tree and giving and receiving presents. Sadly, for some of the families we support, Christmas can be a time of worry and anxiety and this is especially true this year.

“In donating these wonderful gifts for vulnerable children, Arthur Cox has enabled us to ensure that these families get to experience the joys associated with the holiday period. We will be delivering these gifts for children to families in Christmas week, and we know they will draw lots of smiles. It truly reflects the real meaning of Christmas.

“The support we’ve received from Arthur Cox, not just this Christmas over the last two years, has been heart-warming. We are extremely grateful to the firm for donating as much as they have. A huge thank you to Arthur Cox for contributing to a warm and Merry Christmas for children and families.”

The Fostering Network is Arthur Cox’s charity partner and develops programmes to help the more than 2,500 children that live with foster families in Northern Ireland with increasing numbers of foster families required year-on-year.

The gift bundles provided by Arthur Cox will also include a bag from social enterprise Madlug, an award-winning brand which stands for ‘Make A Difference Luggage’. For every bag sold, a bag is donated to a child in care, believing no child should carry their life in a bin bag as 40,000 children enter the care system across the UK each year.